Game device



GAME DEVICE Filed Oct. 24, 1958 P INVENTORp` JOHN R. BRANDELL ATTORNEYS United States Patent Qffice (105,759- AME DEVICE John, Ronlund I Srandcll,- Evanstom lll (915 Allpletree Court, Northbrook, Ill.) Filed-oct 2,4, 1,958, ser. No. 769,414 2 Claims. (Cl. 273-479) 'I-he present invention relatesy in general to game equipment, and has more particular reference to golf putting practice targetd'evices, the present application relating to. improvements upon and betterments in the inventions disclosed in my U.S. Patent No. 2,709,594, of May 31, 1.955, and in .my copending application Ifor U.S. Letters Patent, Serial No. 510,397-, tiled M'ay 23, 1955, for Game Device.

My aforesaid U.S. patent and application for U.S. Letters Patent bothv relate to game devices providing a target chamber or area simulating a golf course hole and formed to receive a golf ball only when the same is di'- rected toward the device from aV remote station with putting accuracy such as would be required to hole the ball on astandard golf course green, the device including a ball kicker operable in response to the presence of a ball in kickable position in the device to automatically return the ball to the remote station whence it was initially directedv toward the device, no provision being made for the return of balls which miss the target chamber.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character mentioned embodying means for automatically returning to a remote putting station not` only bal-ls accuratelydirected into the target area, but also inaccurately directed balls which miss the target area on either side thereof.

Another important object of the invention` is to provide means, in a device of the character mentioned, whereby perfectly puttedballsdirected into the target area with dead center accuracyy may be visually distinguished from less accurately directed balls entering the area eccentrically.

Another important object of the invention is to pro vide a gamedevice of the character mentioned including means for visually distinguishing or differentiating balls delivered within the target area from balls which miss the target area on either side thereof, while providing for the return of: all 4balls entering the device to a remote putting station, in a direction medially of lthe target area.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a frame forming a bali receiving target structure including a chamber having Aa lateral ball entrance portal at one side, a centrally located ball receiving pocket at the opposite side of the chamber, and a oor having an up- Wardly and inwardly inclined portion at the entrance portal and' a downwardly and rearwardly inclined portion extending from theiportal toward the pocket and upon whi'cha golf ball may gr-avitate into the pocket, said downwardly and rearwardly inclined portion having upwardly facing, concave configuration preferably em; bodying cylindrical curvature, whereby all areas of said rearwardly inclined floor portion are titled toward the centrally located ball receiving pocket, said ridge having minimum elevation medially of said portal and vertical- -ly opposite said ball receiving pocket.

Another important object of the invention is to pro.- vide a target device of the character mentioned' having a reiatively wide lateral portal ythrough which a ball may enter the target device for return thence to a remote station from whence the ball was directed toward the de vice. including opstanding ribs or vanos. disposed in. spaced relation on the. floor of the. device for defining therebetween a central target area sized to simula-tc a Conventional cup of -a golf course putting green, said ribs sep- Patented Get. 150, 1961 anat-ing and diiferen'tia'ting s aid target areafrom ball receiving zones disposed on both sides of area, wheref by accuratelyv putted balls delivered into the tar-get area maybedistinguished inaccurately putted balls directed through said outwardly ofthe target area.

The foregoing and numerous other importantobjects, advantages, and inherent- 'functions of the invention will become apparent asthe 'same is more fully understood from the following description, which,A taken in connection with the accompanyingl drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment ofthe invention.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a putting practice target device embodying the features of' the, present invention;l

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2- in FIG. 1;;

FIG. 3 is a sectional' vi'ewtaken substantially along the line 3*-3I in FIG; 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial? iront view of the device; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectional; views taken substantially along the linesV 5 -5 and' in FIG. 3,

To illustrate the invention the drawings show an automatic ball returnputt'ing practice device comprising a frame 11, which may be made of'any suitable material, including molded lastic. The frame provides a b'all receiving tray 12 an a preferably integral housing 1,3A for a ball kicker 14, 'comprising an electrically operable solenoid Sv having an axially `shifta'ble ball lstriking armature formed: as a rod' or stom R, thc trav and housing, forming a symmetrical structure on opposite sides of a plane e x tending medially thereof and containing the of the rod R. As, shown, the housing 1 3 may be formed with an open bot-tom and a scmicvliudrical nani-tion wall 15. defining a ball rccciving pocket 1 6 opening outwardly upon thc Iball receiving frafv 12 at. ons ond. of the 'hous ing 13, the Aframe alsofinoluding mutually inclinedn wall forming portions 17 owtcnding outwardly of the. housing 13 on opposite sides of the pocket, said-portionsL 1,7 de# ning upstanding wall. surfaces 1 8 facing upon and dening 4the rear edge of the ballh receiving4 tray The outer ends of the wall forming portions 1,7 may be ourvingly merged into4 side wing walls 1 9 forming abutments along tho opposite sidcs'of tho. hall receiving fray 1 2...

It will bc. soon that tho. ball: rcccivin'g pocket. 16. opens. medially upon theball receiving tray 1.2, said ooclsct b cing preferably sized to snugly yetv freely receive a standard golf ball therein, to. lhcrobv position tho. satnc in ment with the kicker 1 .4 which is mounted in the frame bohiud thc. ball receiving Pocket- Iho kicker is operable. in responso to the. prcscnco of. a ball in said pocket to ncl the same forcibly outwardly of thc. device in, thc direction in alinernent with the airis of the stem R. The frame 11 may also. provide a. Preferably integral hottom wall or oor 2,1 for the ball receiving tray 1 2, said floor forming a thin, forwardly facing cdgc Z0. along the front of the, tray,l between the wing walls 19. inwardly of said odge thc lloor. may form an. upwardly inclined 22 terminating in a ridge so that, a yball roachina'tho device with suicicat momontunito. climb the and pass over thcv ridgo 'would otherwise roll Ya. few inches Past thc target, and hcncc would. have suiccnt monicaturn to reachl drop. into a conventional golf course putting cup. Inwardlv of. thc 'ridge the door of the tray may provide an inclined portion 24 extending downwardly and rearwardlyY the. ridge. 23.- lowafd. the pocket, la at the backl sido of the trav remoto thc front odge 2tl- As. shown more particularly in FIGS. 3 and. 4.. the lloor port-.ion is ofl upwardly facing concave coneuration, `symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the medial vertical plane through the tray forming frame. While the oor portion 24 may be formed in any prefered shape to roll balls thereon toward the ball receiving pocket 16, the floor may. conveniently be of cylindrical or conic curvature with the lowermost portions of the floor being disposed medially between the spacedapart wing walls 19. Accordingly, the ridge Z3 willextend along a curved -line where the plane of the inclined surface, forming the hill 22. intersects with the cylindrically curved and rearwardly.A inclined floor portion 24. It will.be seen that, because of its curvature, all areas of the `tloor portion 7A are inclined toward vthe ball receiving pocket 16 so that a ball tend to roll directlytoward said pocket regardless of its location on the lioor surface. Accordingly, a ball in passing over the ridge 23 will thereaftergravitate along the inclined and concavely curved surfaces of the portion 24 and will be directedinto the pocket 16 for ejection thence outwardly of the device, by operation of the kicker 14.

The pocket 16 is preferably deep enough to receive a substantial portion of a golf ball 2 5, as clearly shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, whereby to properly aline the ball with the kicker means 14. To end, the frame may provide a top wall26 in position overlying a ball in the pocket; and the frame 1,1 may be formed `with an opening 27 through'the floor or bottom wall 2 1,4 at the pocket 16, thereby` permitting the frame 11 to be molded as an integral unit including theoor portion 21 as well asthepoeketroof26. A f .x The pocket dening wall may be formed .centrally with an opening zfl'communicating the pt wlc'et 16 with a kicker receiving cavity Z8 formed the housing 13. As shownmre' particularly in FIG. 2 of the draw 4 putting green, a cup indicating target ring 34 of color contrasting 'with that of the oor 21 being applied upon the oor portions 22 and 2:4 medially between the ribs 33, with the center of the ring 34 lying inthe medial plane of the target device 11, the ribs 3 3 being equidistant from the plane on opposite sides thereof.

A pair of arcuate ribs 35, concentric with respect to the ring 34 and having adjacent ends spaced apart sufiiciently to permit a golf ball to freely roll therebetween upon the inclined surface of the licor portion Z4, are formed on said 'oor portion in position equidistant from and on opposite sides of the medial plane of the device.

It will -be seen from the foregoing that a golf ball, when delivered toward the device 11 from a remote putf ting station, may travel up the hill 22 and pass over the ridge 23 onto the floor portion 2A, and may then gravitate into the pocket 16 for return thence, by action of the kicker 14, in the direction of the medial plane of the device to the remote putting station from whence the ball ings, the 'cavity' 28 provides forfthe Vreception and en- 1 closure of the kicker 14 and 'also provides for the support of suitable adjustable means Z9 for controlling the operation of the kicker. A suitable microswitch may also be mounted on the frame within the cavity Z8, a switch operating linger. 30`ext`ending through the wall 15 in position to be engaged and depressedby a ball 25 when the same is in the pocket 16 in postionvto be struck by the kicker 14, the microsw'itch being operable in response to depression of the linger member to activate the kicker 14. l r Any suitable microswitch and kicker structure may, of course, be employed'although the same preferably comprise devices ofthe sort shown in my aforesaid application for U.S. LettersPatent, Serial No. 510,397. The microswitch and kicker may be mounted on the frame 11 in any suitable orpreferred fashion, for example, as shown in my aforesaid application for U.S. Letters Patent.

A cover plate 31 may be provided for enclosing the open bottom of the kicker and switch housing chamber Z8. The `cover plate may be formed of anyl suitable relatively-'thin sheet material, such assteel, ber board, plastic, aluminum and the like, and it may conveniently be extended to underlie and close the opening at the bottom ofthe ball receiving pocket 16. In this connection, the framell may be formed with a groove' 32 shaped to' snugly receive the peripheral' edge of the cover plate 31. A pair of spaced apart upstand-ing ribs'33 are formed upon the floor perdons Z2 and 24, said ribs extending from and at right angles lwith respect to the front edge was initially directed toward the target device. In the event that the ball is directed into the target device, as a perfect or dead center putt, it will pass over the lowest portion of the ridge 23and diametrically through the target area defined by the ring 34, between theribs 33, the b allv passing between the facing ends of the arcuate ribs 35 directly into the pocket 16. Should the ball be delivered into the target area, between the ribs 33, fin manner to any extent eccentric with respect to said area, it will either strike one or other of the arcuateribs 35 and hence be prevented from passing directly into the pocket 16, orthe ball will pass outwardly of the ribs 35 and will impingev upon one or other of the wall surfaces 18 adjacent the pocket 16. In either case, the ball will subsequently enter the pocket 16 after a slight delay, thereby visually distinguishing such imperfectly putted ball from one delivered into the target area between the ribs 33 as a perfect, dead center putt.

The device of the present invention also provides means for visuallyvdistinguishing or discriminating between balls delivered into the target device with suticient accuracy to enter the central target area between the ribs 33, as holed putts, and balls inaccurately delivered as missed putts which enter the tray outwardly of the central target area. Such missed puts, after ascending the inclined hill 22, between either of the ribs 33 and its adjacent Wing wall 19, will pass over the ridge 23 and gravitate downwardly along the cylindrically curved floor 24, passing between the rear end of the rib 33 and the facing wall 18, and thence into the ball return pocket 16, after an appreciable time delay interval sutiicient to clearly' distinguish such missed putts from balls delivered accurately into the target area as holed putts.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing-description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacricing any of its attendant advantages,- the form herein disclosed being a 20 of the tray toward the wall forming-portions 17. The s forward ends f the-'ribs 33 preferably-'merge with the inclined floor portion 22 and terminate at the edge 20. 'As shown more .particularly in FIG. 6 of the drawings, the rear ends of the ribs 33 are circularly curved in conformity with the curyatureof a golf ball and are 'spaced with respect to the walls 18 only just suiciently to permit a golfballto roll along the walls. 18 past vthe inner or rearends of the ribs 33 without engaging the same. 'Ihe ribs 33 are spaced apartadistance sucient to detine therebetween a target area sized to simulate the f ball .receiving .wp 0f ltiwl @meer self preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

:1. A golf ball putting practice device comprising a unitary frame of molded plastic material forming -a tray having a tioor and mutually facing lateral abutments at the opposite sides of the tray and defining a ball receiving area on the floor -between the abutments, said frame forming a ball trapping pocket at the rear of said area medially between the abutments, upstanding walls extending on opposite sides of said pocket along the rear edges of the floor and merging with said abutments, said 'tloor providing an upwardly inclined plane portion 'extending between said abutments and rearwardly of the front edge of the tray toa ridge, and a downwardly inf clined .portion extending rearwardly from said ridge to.l

Si Ward said ball trapping pocket, a pair of spaced apart, upstanding and iioor rigidifying ribs formed on the frame in position defining a target zone of limited width, in centered alinement with said trapping pocket, and a pair of missed putt zones outwardly and on opposite sides of the target Zone, said ribs including portions extending forwardly of said ridge toward and terminating at the front edge of the tray, and portions extending rearwardly of said ridge and terminating forwardly of said upstanding Walls to permit balls, delivered into either of said missed putt zones, to roll upon the iioor and along said walls freely past said ribs and into said trapping pocket, and a ball return kicker operable, in response to the presence of a ball in said pocket, to propel the ball thence medially through the target zone and outwardly of the device across its forward edge.

2. A golf ball putting practice device comprising a unitary frame of molded plastic material forming a tray having a oor and mutually facing lateral abutments at the opposite sides of the tray, said frame forming a ball trapping pocket at the rear of said tray medially between the abutments, upstanding walls extending on opposite sides of said pocket along the rear edges of the oor and merging with said abutments, said floor providing an upwardly inclined plane portion extending between said abutments and rearwardly of the front edge of the tray to a ridge, and a downwardly inclined portion extending rearwardly from said ridge toward said ball trapping pocket, and having upwardly facing concave configuration whereby the medial portions of said ridge are bowed forwardly of its opposite end portions, a pair of spaced apart upstanding ribs formed on and integral with the iioor and extending at and on opposite sides of the ridge to strengthen and rigidify the tray between its forward edge and the rearward ends of the ribs, said ribs defining a medial target zone in centered alinernent with said trapping pocket and a pair of missed putt zones on opposite sides of the target zone, said ribs including portions of progressively diminishing height extending forwardly of the ridge toward and terminating at the front edge of the tray, and portions extending rearwardly of the ridge toward and terminating forwardly of said upstanding walls a distance .permitting balls, delivered into either of said missed putt zones, to roll thence upon the iioor and along said walls freely past said ribs and into said trapping pocket, and 4a ball return kicker operable, in response to the presence of a ball in said pocket, to propel the -ball thence medially through the target zone and outwardly of the device across its forward edge.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,774,187 Seeley Aug. 26, 1930 2,308,785 Smith Jan. 19, 1943 2,582,290 Smith Jan. 15, 1952 2,709,594 Brandell May 31, 1955 2,742,294 Griswold Apr. 17, 1956 

